Common Knowledge^™
The Newsletter of the Core Knowledge Foundation

Core Knowledge: A Multicultural Experience

by Barbara Garvin-Kester, President

The time teachers and students should devote to particular subjects or topics in school presents a constant point of debate among educators and policy makers. Social and political reforms find their way into our classrooms in the form of curriculum changes that require more time on particular subjects or topics, particularly in regards to the historical and cultural contributions of ethnic groups. However, Core Knowledge advocates need not despair because they have the basic curriculum that already recognizes these contributions. The Core Knowledge Sequence has at its core a set of diverse cultural traditions that were defined by a multicultural advisory board of distinguished scholars and validated by hundreds of teachers, education leaders, and scientists from around the country. Through a long process of consensus building and under the watchful eye of our founder and board chairman, E.D. Hirsch, Jr., Core Knowledge developed what so many had said could not be developed — an agreed-upon framework of multicultural elements to introduce every American child to the contributions of diverse peoples who make up the mosaic of one unified nation.

But that’s not the whole story! The Sequence is not intended to comprise the entire school curriculum; it presents only the common core of knowledge that enables children from all walks of life to master, fully, the language and background knowledge necessary to compete in the dominant U.S. culture and in the broader global workplace.  We know that neglecting this common core of knowledge harms those children who need it most. That is why the Sequence occupies a portion of the school day, enabling teachers to devote the remaining instructional time to local requirements, including the diverse traditions of specific local and emerging groups. This frees education professionals to delve into particular topics in greater depth and with greater breadth. They can explore the unique and diverse cultural interests and experiences of their students against a backdrop of commonly shared knowledge. Thus, children in Core Knowledge schools have a distinct advantage: they obtain the necessary knowledge to function successfully in society while simultaneously gaining pride in their own cultural heritage and developing an appreciation for the diverse backgrounds of their peers. 

Consistent with the Foundation’s mission to provide classroom teachers with resources to teach a common, core curriculum rich in multicultural traditions, the Foundation has just released Grace Abounding: The Core Knowledge Anthology of African-American Literature, Music, and Art. Unique in its comprehensiveness and in its appreciative treatment of the African-American tradition, the book surveys the entire history of African-American culture from its African roots to the present day. Coupled with a Joyful Noise: The Core Knowledge American Songbook, which includes the American folk music traditions of Spanish and Italian immigrants, the Appalachian Scots-Irish, African Americans from the rural South, and many others, Core Knowledge teachers now have classroom materials specifically designed to ensure that every student has a diverse multicultural school experience built on the fabric of a common background of essential knowledge.

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